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Synthetic Soccer Turf

Soccer is by far the most popular sport on our planet. In fact, it is an obsession in most countries. Over the decades, especially overseas, the thought of playing soccer on any other surface other than natural pitch was ridiculous. People would laugh at the thought. Artificial soccer turf first was introduced in the 1970’s and actually installed in England at the Queens Park Rangers playing facility in the early 1980’s.

It was a polypropylene fiber with a sand infill. It was also very abrasive due to the unforgiving fiber and sand infill. After all, sand is the main ingredient in sand paper. The result was a debacle.

It set back the concept of using artificial soccer turf by 20 years. No one in the sport want any part of it, and rightly so.

Many people, mostly people naive to the industry, referred to anything that was artificial, as Astroturf. Astroturf was even worse than the polypropylene fiber, sand filled artificial soccer turf which was then known as Omni Turf. None the less, both products were terrible for the requirements of soccer or any other sport that required a natural turf feel and look. It was impossible to execute a slide tackle without receiving severe abrasions or even worse injuries. Often players would end up spraining an ankle or severely twisting a knee. These injuries were terrible and could put a player out of action indefinitely, sometimes even ending his or her career.

If all of this were bad enough, the play of the surface was terrible. It was impossible to closely mimic nature turf and control the speed, roll and bounce of the ball. This was crucial to make the game realistic to natural turf. Therefore, players, especially the good ones, would have nothing to do with artificial soccer turf and cursed its very existence.

Then, in the late 1990’s, the turf’s harshest critics began to notice some of the evolutionary developments that were taking place in the artificial soccer turf industry. And, FIFA, the ruling body of international soccer, became interested in the use of artificial soccer turf for developing countries because they saw it as a way to spread the popularity of the game to these countries and make the sport’s world-wide appeal even bigger.

They came up with testing procedures for the criteria of ball bounce, roll, speed and G-max which would have to be met in order for the new artificial soccer turf products to be accepted for international play, including World Cup events. Companies that manufactured artificial soccer turf products that met the testing criteria would be able to be used internationally for soccer events of all kinds. Blue Sky International offers such products that are accepted by UEFA and FIFA for artificial soccer turf fields world-wide. Blue Sky also has products that meet Rugby, lawn bowling, FIH and other international product specifications. Blue Sky International has installed such products around the world in every type of climate and under every condition.